The present invention relates generally to thermal imagers. More particularly, the invention relates to a thermal imager that utilizes an improved technique to calibrate a focal plane array so as to provide accurate radiometric information.
Thermal imaging cameras are used in a wide variety of applications, such as predictive maintenance in industrial facilities. While past imagers often utilized a scanning technique, modern imagers generally incorporate an infrared (IR) focal plane array (FPA) for producing the thermal image. FPAs have many advantages, such as the speed at which successive images can be produced for display.
Although FPAs provide good imagery of the scene, it is much more difficult to use an FPA imager to accurately measure the temperature of objects in the scene. It is believed that others have provided radiometers employing FPAs, but these devices have required complicated cooling or temperature stabilization mechanisms in order to operate properly. Thus, there is a need in the art for an FPA thermal imager that does not require a complicated cooling mechanism for radiometric operation.